Page 16 - Unit 15 Follow Up Part B Repair Time Final for LP

I understand that:
1. Repair is important if we want to maintain good community cohesion and healthy relationships between members of the group.

2. It is essential to hold Repair every time a child causes harm or disadvantage to a person or thing. Although this may take time at
the start, I know I am making an investment for the future.

3. The main purpose of Repair Time is to mend fractured relationships and work to maintain community cohesion and to ensure that
any person disadvantaged by someone’s actions or words feels they have been cared for and supported. It is also to give the
message that making amends is important and to hold a child to account for their actions and words.

4. There are three parts to effective Repair: exploring perspectives, planning who and what needs repair and deciding when and
where Repair will take place.

5. Empathy is a skill and some children have not developed the neural circuitry for this due to adverse experiences and trauma. I
know there is no point in forcing an apology. I realise that this can actually cause greater resentment for all parties and does not
improve the child’s skill of empathy.

6. I know it is essential to maintain high expectations and so if a child does not yet have empathy, I should put additional sessions in
place so they can learn and practise the skill – I know I will be letting a child down by leaving them without this skill.

I now (or am working to get better at):
1. ALWAYS follow up with Repair Time if anyone or anything has been harmed / disadvantaged as a result of the child’s
words/actions.

2. I first help the child to see different perspectives using the Chair Swap model.
3. I help the child to work out who and what needs repair, linking this to the 5C Needs;
4. I help the child plan when and where the Repair will take place
5. If the child says ‘I don’t care’, I stay calm and kind and explain that that is ok – empathy is a skill and it sounds as if that is
something that still needs building.

6. If the child does not want to repair, I put in place additional practice to strengthen the skills of social cognition and empathy.
If I am unsure how to do this, I see help.

The impact this will have over time:
▪ The child will feel supported but also feel accountable.
▪ The child will feel a better sense of control over what happens to them and will be more likely to want to practise strategies
and skills.
▪ The child will improve in their flexibility, problem-solving skills and in their social cognition and emotional intelligence.
▪ The child will make better progress over time.